Extreme Dream Radio  

While visiting my family in the San Francisco Bay Area for the holidays, I was so fortunate to go to one of my old hiking trails in the Oakland Hills and run my dog. My pup, Dandelion, and I spent several hours among the trees, creeks, and flowers. She also got the chance to wiggle her tail-end as she made countless new dog-friends. I am not sure who was happier, her or me!

As I was running and taking in the brisk wind on my face, I felt this overwhelming joy and bliss...a feeling I really just cannot explain here. I looked out and saw thousands of green-leaved trees and hilltops-an abundance of nature- and it suddenly dawned on me that our culture rarely notices the abundance that exists all around us, rather we have likened the word "abundance" to that of only money.

According to Roget's dictionary, Abundance is: A great or plentiful amount; fullness or overflowing; in plentiful supply; ample; abounding with; rich; and affluence. Roget provides examples of, "abundance of heart, abundance of love, or, "My thoughts are abundant with...". I noticed on the trail, I was abundant with joy, happiness and harmony and for that moment I never once thought of money or wealth.

How often do you get caught up in the mainstream of thought that abundance is only about money? I know I've gotten caught up in this thinking but that I surely cannot be alone! I challenge you (and me!) here to notice where else you have abundance in your life, especially as we cross this threshold of moving into the New Year. When we pause and notice the abundance in our lives (aside from money, wealth, etc.), you give the opportunity for that abundance to expand and grow.

As we know, our thoughts become things, so if your thoughts are filled with abundance of joy, peace, harmony, bliss, love, possibility, risk, and growth, guess what? That joy, peace, harmony, bliss, love, possibility, risk, and growth will return to you one hundred fold.

So, let's move against the mainstream thinking and fear that has plagued our lives over 2008 with talks of the economy, the bailout, and the "Recession," and take a moment to notice abundance in our lives. In fact, let's make an effort to do so everyday.

Some tips to bring forth abundance:

1. Get out in nature at least once daily-Even if for just 5 minutes to walk around the block. Your breath expands when out in nature and your natural state of being (your natural state of being is bliss) comes alive. Your endorphins are flowing and so, too, are you. You are capable of noticing abundance in all areas of your life more easily and freely, without effort. And I don't know about you but I want things to come to me effortlessly!

2. Meditate- Again, even if for just a few minutes. Getting to a place of stillness means getting to a place of peace, positive perspective, and understanding. I challenge my coaching clients to set their watch every hour on the hour to just take one minute of quiet breathing. Before they know it, they've gotten in 10-12 minutes of extra quiet breath with no effort, allowing them to focus on abundance and joy.

3. Journal with the focus of abundance in mind-Start out your journal pages noticing the abundance and gratitude in your life; at the end of each month, re-read your journal entries...you will be amazed at the abundance you discovered in your life over those journal pages!

4. Rampage of Appreciation- Jerry and Esther Hicks have a game in their, Ask and It Is Given, book, entitled, "Rampage of Appreciation." Take time out daily to notice the things around you that you appreciate. You may do this when in the grocery store, the post office or driving in traffic in the highway. Instead of noticing all the things that bring forth a negative attitude, focus on the positive things such as: the highway is filled with gorgeous trees or crosses through beautiful hills; the post office has a very cheerful employee; or the grocery store smells of my favorite foods. When you focus on the things you like, abundance fills your soul and you move through your day much more easily and positively.

5. Take time out each day to thank at least one person who has tremendous significance to you-When we declare a statement of gratitude to a loved one, we are filled with a joy and love that goes beyond comprehension and usually they wish to share the sentiment with us. Thank one person daily and be filled with tremendous abundance!

6. Practice Extreme Dream Self Care-When we take care of our bodies, nourish our souls, and transform our spirit, it is as though we are reborn. I challenge my coaching clients to create an Extreme Dream Self-Care list and choose an item off it daily to practice. For instance, I love getting manicures/pedicures, going on hikes, and going to the cafe to sit alone and sip tea. I put one of these items as my first thing to get done on my daily To Do list; it reminds me to take care of myself FIRST which of course keeps me in a state of abundance.

7. Reminders, Memory-markers, Structures-Keep within eyeshot those items that remind you of abundance. Perhaps it is a keychain with your favorite mantra or a picture of your favorite vacation-spot or maybe it is a photograph of your family. Whatever it is, keep these items close by at all times to remind you of the abundance you already have in your life.

8. Study-I am a firm believer that as long as we are on this planet, we get the chance to learn and remember new things and the same goes for learning about practicing abundance in our lives. Pick up self-help books, grab human potential cd's and listen to them during your long commute. You will be surprised how these tools will help you shift your energy in a heartbeat!

9. Practice-The one thing I've learned over time and encourage my clients to do is to put a daily ritual into practice. For me, I wake up, say "Grateful Statements," go into meditation, read spiritual and metaphysical books, pray, exercise, and then start my day. Now, don't get me wrong, there are days where I fall off my practice and of course, I notice I immediately pay the price for falling off the bandwagon.. I turn out to be cranky, moody or just feel "off." Keeping up a daily ritual gets us into the practice of noticing the abundance in our lives; this becomes our point of "operation." When we operate from abundance rather than from scarcity, lack or desperation, abundance is yielded upon us.

10. Share-Be giving with your abundant attitude and it will return to you one hundred fold. The key is to not give with the expectation of getting something in return rather it is to share your abundance just for the sake of sharing. When you are unattached from the giving you will be surprised how much more abundance you will have in your life!

Now there is an abundance of options to choose from here to help bring more abundance in your life yet if this is new to you, choose just one to start off with and practice then add another over time. I promise that if you start to practice even just one item, you will be welcoming new and more abundance in this New Year and for years to come!

Wishing you an abundance of joy, love, life, compassion, and prosperity in 2009!

Your partner in extreme dreaming,

Laurie A. Santos, The Extreme Dream Queen!
Certified Coach, Speaker, Radio Host
www.ExtremeDreamTraining.com
www.BlogTalkRadio.com/Extreme-Dream-Radio
Laurie@ExtremeDreamTraining.com